Dangerous Abuse and Addiction - Prescription Pain Killers

On June 21st, four
innocent people were killed in a pharmacy in Medford, NY. After
the shootings, the alleged perpetrator stole prescription drugs and ran off. He
has since been apprehended.

This horrific incident highlights the continued burgeoning highly
dangerous epidemic of prescription drug abuse and addiction. The desperate need
for these strong addictive pain killers, to avoid the excruciating pain and
even death from "cold turkey" withdrawal, has driven one addict to cause the
death of four innocent and unsuspecting people.
A tragedy that we can and must take steps to avoid in the future!

Increased highly addictive pain management substances including
Oxycontin and many others are being offered by physicians and pharmacies for
relief of pain. It appears that
patients' reports of pain to their doctor have increased since the availability
of Oxycontin and many other pain management drugs. These legally prescribed
pain killers are a quick option to temporarily reduce and eliminate pain, while
at the same time providing a pleasurable experience for the user - pain that we
once treated with two aspirins.

There are degrees of pain reported to physicians and patients
who want more of the potent pain killers beyond the mitigation of their
original pain, know how to exaggerate pain to maintain their habit. Others may just concoct pain to get the
pills. There is no way a physician can
tell if a patient is telling the truth unless he or she is trained in the field
of addiction and addiction medicine.
Even then, without years of experience with addicts, it will be difficult.

Unfortunately, these highly addictive legal drugs are the root
of an exploding new form of legal substance abuse. Their addictive nature and
the associated pleasurable feelings, coupled with growing government
regulations and restrictions, are now encouraging an illegal street market. These legal drugs used for pain management are
being used by family members from all parts of our society: middle class, upper
class, urban or suburban – they don't discriminate.

According to a June 21st article in the e-Publication from thePartnership at Drug Free.org: "Overuse of prescription pain
killers may be a risk factor for diverting medication." In this study of prescription pain killers
used by 192 young adults, only 58% followed their doctor's instructions; 27%
under used their medication and 16% over used it. For those who over used
medication 63% diverted some of their medication to others.

The horrific deaths of four innocent people in Medford, NY at the hands of a crazed addicted young man
looking for prescription pain killers, should serve as a reminder of this quiet
but growing deadly menace. According to research, most of the pain killers
being misused and diverted come from the home medicine cabinet.

Integrity House is very concerned about this epidemic of legally prescribed
pain killer distribution, abuse and addiction. We have first hand evidence from our Student
Members (clients) in our treatment program that the problem is real. Here is what we are
recommending:

1.
New
legislation patterned similarly to that passed in many other States that will
regulate and restrict the prescription and the flow of these addictive pain
medications to the public, particularly to those with a history of addiction.

2.
A
Statewide pharmacy registry that will regulate physicians and pharmacies
distributing medication to check as to whether the same patient has received
the same pain medication from several other physicians.

3.
A
Statewide prevention campaign to inform the public of the dangers of overuse or
continued use of these highly addictive pain medications such as Oxycontin,
Percocet, Valium, Xanex, the benzodiazepines and others.

4.
A
Statewide call-in hotline for those individuals with a problem of addiction to
legally prescribed pain medication.

5.
Specialized
treatment for those with the problem of getting off and staying off pain
medication.

The epidemic of prescription drug abuse is evolving so rapidly
that we must work together and with haste on essential regulating legislation and
prevention and treatment programs focused on the prescription addict. New
Jersey has made some progress as was described to me
in my conversation today with the Governor's office.

Hopefully the Governor's plan will include a
consolidated prevention, treatment, legislative and law enforcement effort
including key Departments: Health, Human Services, Corrections, State Police
and the Attorney General's office.
Nothing short of this type of consolidated effort will make a dent in
the out of control prescription drug epidemic in our State. We don't need another Medford.
Let's act now!